Thursday, July 23, 2015

Cars are such a great illustration of how things changed from the time Rosetta was born to the present. She wasn't quite one year old when this slick 1910 Ford Model T burst onto the scene. Going for a little spin in the convertible? Be sure to wear a duster and hat.

The Model T was designed by Childe Harold Wills, and Hungarian immigrants Joseph A. Galamb and Eugene Farkas. Henry Love, C. J. Smith, Gus Degner and Peter E. Martin were also part of the team. Production of the Model T began in the third quarter of 1908. Collectors today sometimes classify Model Ts by build years and refer to these as "model years", thus labeling the first Model Ts as 1909 models, the year Rosetta was born.

With ten children and low income, her immigrant family couldn't afford one of these new-fangled contraptions. There is certainly no connection, but during her long life Rosetta never learned to drive. She traveled around Chicago, and later Los Angeles, using public transportation. She was a whiz with bus schedules and could find a route to most any destination, even if it took about 30 minutes by car and 2 hours or more by bus.

2006 - Ford's Refl3x Concept Car

Fast forward to 2006, the year Rosetta passed away nearing her 97th birthday. Ford's concept car that year would have amazed her. It was the Refl3x, a technological showcase that included solar panel-powered headlights, integrated child seat, baby cam with a monitor mounted on the dash, inflatable rear safety belts, and an interior quieted by ground rubber taken from Nike athletic shoe outsoles. It also featured an advanced diesel-electric hybrid engine with new-generation lithium ion batteries that help deliver up to 65 miles per US gallon. A production version of the Reflex design was not announced. It makes one wonder what happened to these great ideas since we are still oil and energy dependent upon other nations.

1914 Model T

2016 Ford GT

So, look at the contrasts between these vehicles. What a difference 102 years makes!

"Can We Come in and Laugh, Too?" takes you back to Rosetta's era with wonderful descriptions of being born in the early 1900's, going through the Flapper era, World War I and II, all the way up to the late 80s. She grew up in a zany family, so laugh along with some of her funny stories.

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Rosetta the Dancing Queen

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Now available in Kindle and Paperback

ABOUT ROSETTA

Born in 1909, Rosetta was the youngest of ten children in a zany immigrant family. She talks about growing up in the early 1900s when cars were still being developed, very few people had telephones or radios and getting an education beyond grammar school was a privilege for children in families of modest means.

Laughter was Rosetta's companion throughout her long llife--nearly 97 years, and she had the ability to inspire others to achieve beyond what they thought possible.

Her handwritten memoir was turned into "Can We Come In and Laugh, Too?", now available in paperback and digital editions. So grab a comfortable chair and share a bit of laughter with her.